House Cetus of the Black Isles
The people of House Cetus live on the Black Isles in the South of Mercania, so named for the black sand found in abundance on the shores. Previously a band of pirates, Sargasso Cetus made the decision to settle on the Black Isles and become privateers, later founding the nation as it is now known and gaining legitimacy for House Cetus. Sargasso was adamant that House Cetus should be no lesser than any other nation due to their past, and so renounced their formerly wicked ways. The theft of cargo and criminal violence against Mercanian ships was now prohibited, and House Cetus became a legitimate naval nation, seeking their fortune instead mainly through exploration of foreign lands and local and international trade. The Black Isles The Black Isles act as large hubs for the naval fleets - ships return to the Isles to refuel, share the wealth they have gained, and for the crew to spend some time with family before leaving for the next adventure. While there is one ruler, each ship's captain is a part of the Black Isles council, and crew members can bring their information or grievances to their captain to have them heard. House Cetus is not a nation of spies, but sailors spend time in foreign taverns while ships are docked and trade deals are made, and so hear many stories and gossip of the latest issues within that town or city. The Black Isles are made up of two islands, both with the trademark black sand. Both are surrounded by walls and ports, and watchmen remain at each entrance - this all being visible from the sea. Once on the islands, they are thriving port towns. Each port contains many harbours, to keep separate local and foreign ships, with certain ports containing deep water so larger ships may enter. There are three types of ports on the Black Isles: * Fishing port. While fish is not a key resource, it is the main source of food on the Black Isles and is often dried and preserved to be taken as rations on long sea journeys * Warm-water port. There is only one of these, and it is a port which does not freeze during winter. * Cargo port. These each handle different cargo, and are divided into different operating terminals which handle the different cargoes. There are also 'dry ports', which is the colloquial term used to refer to a town or a city. Rulership The current Captain of the Scylla is Mór-Ríoghain. 'Captain of the Scylla' is a decorative title, dating back to Sargasso Cetus himself, whose ship was named the Scylla. It now refers to the ruler, and not to their ship. The Black Isles are also differentiated by the names Scylla and Charybdis - while they are not official names, the locals refer to the west isle as Scylla and east as Charybdis. The castle where the Captain of Scylla resides is, of course, on Scylla, although the ruler does not necessarily spend the majority of their time there - it mostly used as the meeting place for the Captains' Council, and where the ruler lives when they are on land. In terms of decisions, the ruler is the one who decides where the ships will go and what their plans are. The ruler, even if currently captaining a ship, will still know the location and objective of all other ships. They will decide on trade deals, and make political decisions while advised by their second-in-command. Ultimately, of course, the decision belongs to the ruler. The ruler is decided by the Captains' Council. When a ruler dies, the Council meets. They all vote on and debate the choice of the next ruler, who must be a member of the Council. Usually, there is an obvious main contender - however, sometimes the Council has been surprised. Either way, once the decision is made, it is final, and the ruler has the loyalty of the Council and, therefore, of the crews and the people. The People The inhabitants of the Black Isles live either on Scylla, Charybdis or a ship. One parent will remain on the island with their children to bring them up, albeit with help and visits from the other. Sometimes these parents will take turns, but more often one parent feels more suited to the isles, and one to the sea. There is a community feel on the island, with all island parents helping each other out. Children are free to run between houses, and all spend time together, sometimes with communal meals. When a child turns sixteen, they must choose between joining a crew and taking to the sea or remaining on the island and taking a dry port job. If they choose to join a ship, then they become a sailor and follow their captain. However if they don't, they are valued just as highly. The ships could not continue without the support of the isles. The isles build and repair the ships, they preserve food for long journeys, they create the salt and the unique black glass of the isles, and they manage the finances and the resources. The ships and the isles truly have a symbiotic relationship - one could not exist without the other. Religion While House Cetus acknowledge the existence of the Pantheon deities, they value the sea above all else. The belief is that the sea is an entity unto itself, that retains the power to kill or reward as it sees fit. Thus, the sea should be treated with respect bordering on worship. If one dies to the sea, that is seen as the ultimate honour, and they will not be mourned but celebrated. It is also believed that the end of the world will begin when the oceans rise and the sea creatures escape the depths and wilderness and are seen in inhabited areas, and that the world will end when the oceans engulf all lands and there is nothing but water remaining.